Reading is a high-leveled mental process which a reader and a text interacts, and reading comprehension is a successful product of their interaction.
Since cognitive psychology and computer science have appeared, the study about reading comprehension...
Reading is a high-leveled mental process which a reader and a text interacts, and reading comprehension is a successful product of their interaction.
Since cognitive psychology and computer science have appeared, the study about reading comprehension as a cognitive process is being progressed actively.
In 1970s, the schema theory which emphasizes a knowledge structure already stored in reader's memory has developed.
Schema refers to a whole of experiences which stored in our memory. If readers construct and activate a schema that explains objects and events in reading process, readers will be able to comprehend the context.
There is a following function of schema in reading.
1) Schema provides the ideal knowledge structure.
2) Schema induces the allocation of attention.
3) Schema brings the inferential elaboration.
4) Schema supplies the order and the procedure in probing memory.
5) Schema facilitates the edition and summarization of text's content.
6) Schema can make the inferential reconstruction.
In improving reading ability, it is important to encourage readers in order that readers may activate their schema properly. But the concept of schema cannot explain learning completely.
In other words, an interpretation of new experiences without prior knowledge has involved many problems.
According to this view, the concern of the concept of metacognition has been increased.
Metacognition means a person's knowledge about his or her own cognitive process and product, and consists of the self-regulatory mechanisms.
We have a knowledge about our cognitive process and use it for selecting strategies or solving facing problems.
Metacognitive knowledge has executive functions that control and harmonize learner's thinking or behavior.
Good readers who have metacognitive skills apply their skills to monitoring and regulation of their own reading behaviors.
Studies that concentrate on metacognition have increased, but the regulation between schema and metacognition has not been examined properly.
It is essential that we consider reading as a cohesive system instead of considering skills separately.
Future studies about reading comprehension as cognitive process require cohesive searches that deal with the positive activation and elaboration of reader's schema and the role of metacognition in respect of activity and function.